Petteri Baer, Regional Adviser, UNECE User Consultation Process * Helping good content and a successful dissemination of census results * Presentation at the Training Workshop on the Management of Population and Housing Censuses in SPECA Member countries Baku, Azerbaijan, 30.10 – 3.11.2006 Petteri Baer, Regional Adviser, UNECE

CES Recommendations In the Recommendations for the 2010 Censuses on Population and Housing Appendix VI includes generalized information on the User consultation process In this presentation the experience of Statistics Canada is used as an example 3.11.2006

Censuses in Statistics Canada Census every 5 years Content Consultation every time Content Consultations since 1971 For the next Census in 2011 a Content Consultation will be done for the 8th time Two main activities Content consultation Content testing Courtesy to Daniel Dufour, Census Marketing Manager at Statistics Canada 3.11.2006

The Role of Content Consultations in SC To determine and review content of survey questionnaires To test new content To support collection activities To plan and review products and services To define geographic concepts To discuss preferred output media To build partnerships with stakeholders 3.11.2006

Consultation process materials in Statistics Canada (1) A Consultation Guide Including specific discussion points for different audiences Helping Statistics Canada staff to focus on important issues in the interaction process 3.11.2006

Consultation process materials in Statistics Canada (2) A Compilation of Information on Statistics Canada’s socio-economic data sources on Census related topics To inform users of the existence of other services of SC than only the Census 3.11.2006

Consultation process materials in Statistics Canada (3) A Census Consultation internet site was established Participant list database for Census consultations Consultation content database was established 3.11.2006

Consultation Mechanisms in Statistics Canada Bilateral committees between statistics Canada and key federal departments Regular meetings with provincial / territorial departments Advisory Committees (Labour, Social Conditions, Health, Demography, …) Ad hoc consultations 3.11.2006

Two phases in the consultation (1) The first phase Invited written submissions Over 75 written submissions were received The second phase Follow-up meetings with different groups of data users 3.11.2006

Two phases in the consultation (2) The second phase (continued) 25 meetings were organized throughout Canada Altogether about 800 comments were collected 3.11.2006

Number of comments by type of organization Provincial and Territorial Departments 326 41 % Federal Departments and Agencies 219 28 % Municipalities and Regions 141 18 % Secondary Distributors 36 5 % Academic & Professional Associations 30 4 % Advisory Committees / Working Groups 24 3 % Women’s Organizations 6 1 % Others 7 3.11.2006

Number of comments by Topic Dissemination 124 16 % Geography 122 Internet 70 9 % Paid Work 65 8 % Education 60 Housing and Shelter Costs 51 7 % Unpaid Work 42 5 % Others 255 32 % 3.11.2006

The importance of internet During the consultation period The Consultation web site welcomed 5 324 visits …which resulted in 36 002 hits The most frequently download files were The 2006 Census Consultation Guide (1 182) and The Cross-Sectional data source table (424) 3.11.2006

Feedback helped development of content and user relations Received feedback was forwarded to the appropriate divisions at Statistics Canada Comments and suggestions were given careful consideration in planning the 2006 Census and related programs 3.11.2006

Feedback helped development of content and user relations Statistics Canada tested dozens of potential changes to the Census questionnaire content The need to find a well working balance between including new phenomena and the need for continuity and comparability between censuses of different years 3.11.2006